By Sam Volz: Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn is amped up talking about restarting negotiations between his fighter Anthony Joshua and WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury if everything goes well for AJ this Saturday night against Jermaine Franklin at the O2 Arena in London.
Hearn feels that Fury (33-0-1, 24 KOs) will take the fight against Joshua (24-3, 22 KOs) because what ‘The Gyspy King’ wants now at this late stage of his career is money, and he’ll get plenty of that if he fights AJ next.
There’s already a deal in place for the Joshua-Fury fight from their previous negotiations late last year, says Hearn. Hearn thinks he can quietly put the fight together if he can sit down with Fury’s co-promoter George Warren.
Hearn: Fury just cares about the money
“I think it’s so makeable, but obviously everything is focused on Saturday,” said Eddie Hearn to Secondsout when asked if a fight between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury is still possible.
“For me, everything is about timing. So AJ goes in on the weekend and knocks Franklin out. Fury doesn’t have a fight; AJ doesn’t have a fight. The politics have evaporated the belts.
“We know there was a deal that was already discussed that would make us feel like if we had time, we could push that in a good position. So, I think it’s a case of myself and [Fury’s promoter] George Warren, quietly, quietly, we’ll work together.
“If there’s a way, then present it to Tyson. If Tyson and AJ said, ‘Oh, they’re working together on a deal.’ ‘Oh, you know what? I’ve heard this before.’
“Let’s just see, but if Saturday goes our way [with the Franklin fight], tell me a bigger fight for Tyson Fury. Tell me a bigger fight for AJ. There’s nothing even close in terms of its size.
“I think he wants money; I think he just cares about the money, and there’s more money than he ever dreamed of in that fight, so why not?” said Hearn about whether Fury has the desire to make a fight against Joshua.
“We’ve got the deal in place from last time, and before we know it, Saturday comes, and you’re in a war with Jermaine Franklin at the O2, and we’re all talking about Tyson Fury. So, get the job done on Saturday night, and we’ll see what follows,” said Hearn.